Scammers' Counterfeit Products 'Could Cause Serious Damage'
You've come across so much about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.
